The present invention relates to an air cleaner for an internal combustion engine.
An air cleaner for an internal combustion engine includes a first housing, a second housing, and a filter element. The first housing has an inlet and an opening. The second housing has an outlet and an opening, which is opposed to the opening of the first housing. The filter element is arranged between the opening of the first housing and the opening of the second housing.
Some of such air cleaners have a sound absorbing member made of a porous material such as foamed plastic in the first housing (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-110682). In the air cleaner disclosed in the publication, the sound absorbing member is installed such that the inner surface of the first housing is in contact with the entire opposed surface of the sound absorbing member. The sound absorbing member of the air cleaner reduces intake noise.
However, in the above-described air cleaner, the effect of reduction of the intake noise by the sound absorbing member is limited and there is room for improvement.